SCHOOL REMOVES FACULTY IN SCANDAL

The entire faculty at an elementary school where two teachers were arrested on suspicion of lewd conduct will be removed while the school district investigates, the Los Angeles school superintendent told parents Monday.

Superintendent John Deasy told parents and media on Monday night that the Miramonte Elementary School staffers are being replaced because a full investigation of allegations is disruptive and staffers require support to get through the scandal, too.

An entire staff has been trained to come into classrooms at Miramonte to take over teaching for the time being, and there will be a psychiatric social worker in every classroom to help students and staff cope with any issues.

“The last thing I’m worried about is a budget issue,” Deasy said. “The Number One thing I’m worried about is the students.”

School officials canceled classes at the school today and Wednesday as a cooling-off period, said district spokesman Tom Waldman.

Deasy emphasized that all staff members being brought into the classroom went through a “very rigorous screening process.”

The move follows the arrest of two Miramonte teachers: Mark Berndt was charged last week with committing lewd acts on 23 children, while Martin Springer was arrested Friday on suspicion of fondling two girls in his classroom.